Car Features

The Mellow Boss

By Gary Rosier

In the 60’s, words like "Groovy, Far Out, and Boss" were part of everyday verbiage. Ford liked the name Boss because during this time period it represented the best. (Actually, the generally accepted story is that Ford stylist Larry Shinoda named the car after his boss Semon Knudsen, both of whom were pirated away from General Motors). Muscle cars were the rage and the Trans Am series was something Ford and others were aggressively going after with a vengeance to get their brand name out there and dominate. The old adage "Win on Sunday and Sell on Monday" was in full swing.

Stu and Babe Cashman of New Smyrna Beach, Fl own this 1970 Boss 302 Mustang. Stu and Babe traveled all over to attend various Trans Am races and this led to the search for a nice Boss 302 in 1972. Stu worked for Ford at the time (36 years total) so a Boss was the only car he was interested in. Stu found what he was looking for at a used car lot in the Detroit area, not far from where he worked at that time. Purchased in 1972 (they are the second owners) Stu drove this car as a daily driver for over 10 years in Michigan - winters too! It had been “refreshed” a couple of times and the engine rebuilt in 1994 but until he met Zorge (Pete) Design and Engineering it saw the occasional cruise nights and car shows. Knowing it needed a little bit of work, it went in for an engine compartment detail (2011) and quickly snowballed into a full blown surface plate restoration. Mellow Yellow by Donovan was a 60’s hit that reached no 2 on the US Billboard charts. He referred to (a girl named) Saffron but if you look Saffron up, it’s a very expensive spice, and this restoration got expensive as well!

This Boss is a numbers matching car that came from the factory with the rear window slats and front chin spoiler but the rear spoiler was a Christmas gift from his wife. Its color code is D (Bright Yellow) and it features the only available transmission: a 4 speed with a 3.5 - 9” Auburn limited slip rear end. It has the black deluxe interior, fold down rear seat , no power windows or A/C because this car was meant to be driven! Stu attended the Track Time Driving Schools at Mid Ohio and Nelson Ledges Road courses in Ohio, as well as the Shelby Club “Open Track” events at Lowes Motor Speedway, NC, Waterford Hills, MI and Nashville Super speedway in addition to the full Daytona Rolex road course with this car in October 2014 shortly after the restoration. Stu noted that he attended this event with his two sons, one driving a 2012 Boss 302 and the other in a 2007 Corvette. How cool is that!

While Stu has all the original parts including the original Magnum 500 chrome 15x7 wheels with the Goodyear Polyglass GT RWL tires, radiator, and more, it is shod with the 16x8 “Vintage 48” aluminum wheels and 245x45ZR16 (fronts) and 255x50ZR16 BF Goodrich tires. Some other equipment includes the dual point distributor (now Petronix equipped), Recaro seats with three point belts, Centerforce clutch and disc, welded in sub-frame connectors, Export brace (one piece), Koni adjustable shocks, Monte Carlo bar (cross tower brace) and revised suspension. The suspension work includes relocated upper control arms, gusseted spring towers, higher rate sway bars and front springs, “Traction Master” under-ride traction bars, competition lower cross member and anti-bump steer kit.

The engine rebuild consisted of a “.30” over with Crane cam, roller rockers and a Cobra 7.5 qt sump. Hooker headers (Jet Hot coated) expel the gasses out the 2-1/2in exhaust with x-pipe.While there were approximately 7300 of these cars built (this car had a build date of April 30, 1970), this one has Parnelli Jones signature and Bill Barr’s, who was the Ford engineer who designed the original Boss motor. This occurred during the Ford introduction of the then current BOSS 302R at Daytona in Jan 2010. Mellow Yellow perhaps, but there’s nothing mellow about this car as it sounds, smells and feels like it could be the poster child of the late 60’s; Woodstock, engines reverberating at the road course of Watkins Glenn and so much more. I think that’s why all these cars are so desirable - it’s a time we are all trying to relive in one way or the other. This BOSS certainly does it and is a #1 Hit with us for sure!